On Saturday in Austin, there was a Black Lives Matter protest on the campus of the University of Texas, down the street from near the annual SXSW conference. At the protest was Texas hip-hop artist D.Hawk, who says it's time to take a stand against violence against African Americans.

The killing of a homeless man by Los Angeles police added yet another incident to the list of high-profile police killings that have rocked the US over the last year. Now the Justice Department is issuing reports and recommendations on police bias, hoping to help repair relations between officers and citizens.

Almost everyone has had that moment when a shocking Facebook post appears in your news feed. But should you unfriend people who post stuff you hate — even if it's extremely offensive? Here's an argument for why you shouldn't.

The cases of Michael Brown and Eric Garner in the US have their own analogues in Brazil, where relations between black citizens and police are also tense. But one Brazilian activist hopes the news from the US could push Brazilians to talk more openly about racial issues.

Demonstrators have marched in cities across the US to protest a grand jury decision not to indict a white police officer for the killing of Eric Garner. But while protesters say they're angry and fearful, there are also encouraging signs in how black communities have rallied to each other.

Grand juries decided not indict the police officers who killed Michael Brown and Eric Garner. The decision enraged many Americans, who questioned why the incidents didn't deserve an open trial — exactly the reason why the UK, the originator of grand juries, abolished its own system long ago.

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12/02/2014 - 11:15am

American cops rarely go to jail for the killings of civilians, and the same goes for police officers in South Africa. And in both countries, the anger at such perceived biases is at odds with the perception that they've become post-racial societies after electing black leaders.

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In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, then FEMA director Michael Brown took a beating for his lack of formal emergency management experience. We check in with Michael Brown about life after Katrina, lessons learned, and how he thinks about that tragic moment now that he has the clarity that often comes with the passing of time.

In Mary McDonagh Murphy's film, new facts about "To Kill a Mockingbird" and Harper Lee are uncovered, and the enduring significance of the story is discussed in interviews with Oprah Winfrey, Tom Brokaw, Anna Quindlen and many others.

Racial tensions are not new in St. Louis, but they've certainly been put on international display the past few days. But on local professor says the current crisis has little change of igniting long-term change.

As demonstrations continue in Ferguson, Missouri, after the shooting of teenager Michael Brown, the city's police have brought out military equipment to tamp down the protests, shocking many Americans. The gear most likely came through programs created after 9/11.

Tear gas, armored vehicles and the arrest of reporters marked Wednesday's protests in Ferguson, Mo. The images coming out of the Missouri town furthered anger at police tactics in the town and even prompted a White House response.

Earlier this week, the US considered the possibility of sending American troops to rescue members of the Yazidi minority trapped by ISIS militants on Mount Sinjar in Iraq. Now, President Obama says the crisis has passed ... but others aren't so sure. And if you think women's rights are relatively new, guess again. And we explain why Ferguson, Missouri seems like a war zone, in today's Global Scan.

Tensions subsided in Ferguson after lightly-equipped police largely replaced SWAT teams and armored vehicles on city streets. After more than a decade of such "Darth Vader gear" being the norm at protests, it may be time for a shift in tactics.

The death of Michael Brown and the protests in Ferguson have provoked lots of conversation about the militarization of the police in the United States. France has its own history of racial tensions and riots, and the week's events have reminded some French people of tenser times.

An officer-involved shooting more than a week ago has led to riots and protests in the city of Ferguson, Missouri, a largely African American suburb of St. Louis, Missouri. The police officer was white, the victim was black. Now, as the protest escalate, Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon has ordered the National Guard in to help restore order.

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